Leonis Adobe Museum - Calabasas

The Leonis Adobe Museum in Calabasas was the first designated Los Angeles historic monument on August 6, 1962.  The Leonis Adobe was the home of Miguel Leonis, known as the King of Calabasas, who owned over 10,000 acres of land. The museum features his authentically furnished two-story Monterey-style adobe with original buildings, period livestock, gardens and a vineyard. The house was originally built in 1844, six years before Los Angeles was incorporated and California became a state.

Also on the property is the Plummer House, the oldest house in Hollywood and in 1935 was named California Historical Landmark No. 160.  The house fell into disrepair and became dilapidated before the salvageable front portion of the house was moved to the Leonis Adobe site in 1983 and subsequently  repaired, restored and refurbished.  It now serves as the onsite Visitor Center and gift shop.

Plummer House Visitor Center

The Leonis Adobe, located at 23537 Calabasas Road in Calabasas (near the Sagebrush Cantina) is currently (October 2021) open 10am to 4pm on Saturdays and 1-4pm on Sundays. Visit www.leonisadobemuseum.org or call 818.222.6511 for more information. Suggested donations are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors/students and $2 for children under age 12.

On a personal note, I've been to the Leonis Adobe and it is an amazingly large piece of property in the heart of old town Calabasas, paralleling, yet nearly invisible to, the 101 freeway.  In addition to the historic buildings, the site has an impressive assortment of vintage wagons and farm equipment. There's also a well manicured garden area and lots of farm animals to see and feed, including some longhorn bulls, sheep, goats, chickens and a horse. Bring quarters to buy food. Plus they have many activities for the kids year-round.

Sierra Vista Trail in Newbury Park

The Sierra Vista Trail in the Dos Vientos section of Newbury Park is a roughly one mile long trail that connects the Vista Del Mar Trail on the west to the Potrero Ridge Trail on the east. The entry point on the west side is off of Rancho Dos Vientos just south of Via El Cerro and on the east side is on Via Las Brisas near Paseo Santa Rosa. As with most trails in this area, you will be treated with some great views of the surrounding mountains and neighborhoods. This trail is maintained by the Conejo Open Space Foundation.

California Sycamore Tree - Historic Landmark in Newbury Park

This extremely large and old California Sycamore tree was designated as a Ventura County Historic Landmark (#44) on May 1st, 1978.  The City of Thousand Oaks historical marker (see picture to the right) says the tree is over 250 years old.  It is believed that the Chumash Indians bent the lower branches to mark the location of groundwater.

This beautiful tree is located in the Stagecoach Inn Museum and complex at 51 South Ventu Park Road.  Park at the Stagecoach Inn parking lot and walk your way down the pathway to visit the tree, an Indian house and other old structures.

Boney Mountain Peak Hike From Newbury Park

At an elevation of 2,825 feet, the presence of Boney Peak (also known at Mount Boney), is felt throughout the Conejo Valley and surrounding areas. Want to climb it?

Well you can! It is challenging, but possible. Boney Mountain is located in the Santa Monica Mountains. One way to get to Boney Peak is via the Upper Canyon Trail from the Danielson Monument.

Danielson Monument

First off, hike your way up to the Danielson Monument, click this link for details. The monument is next to the remains of a burned down cabin shown below.

There is a trail that veers left next to the chimney. This is where you want to go. You're looking at a challenging 2 mile climb to Boney Peak. Most of the trail is narrow single track. There are some really steep, rocky sections, some with deep crevices, that may freak you out. You may have to duck your head from time to time. The trail is definitely challenging, both going up and coming back down. Definitely not for everyone.

The trail gets tight at times.

The trail is not "officially" maintained by the National Park Service and thus there are NO SIGNS that say, hey, go this way to get to Boney Peak.  But I've seen plenty of people make it up there just fine as the path is fairly obvious. Just stay on the main trail.

After twists, turns, rocks, crevices and hills, the trail flattens out a bit near the top.

One thing to note when you think you've reached the top. Look at the picture at the top of this post. To the left of the circled area is a large boulder. This is not the peak. There's a trail to the left behind it that you'll have to go up to get to the actual peak. Again, there are no signs. But you should be able to see the path pretty easily. You will be climbing some sheer rock face to get there. Can be slippery. And standing on the top of Boney can be both exhilarating and scary as hell! So be careful!

The final ascent to the top on sheer rock path.

How long does it take to get from the trailhead at Wendy and Potrero and back? I'd allow for 4 to 5 hours if you are hiking. If you are a strong runner you can get up to it in as little as an hour (I'm talking top notch runner) to hour and a half, but you will only be able to "run" about half of the trail above the Danielson Monument. The rest is more of a technical hike in and around the rocks, boulders and crevices.

Here are some views you'll be treated to at the top.

Camarillo Premium Outlets

The Camarillo Premium Outlets at 740 East Ventura Boulevard offers nearly 160 stores.

Open 11am-7pm Monday to Thursday, 10am-8pm Friday and Saturday and 11am-7pm on Sunday (as of October 2021).  More information at www.premiumoutlets.com/outlet/camarillo.

Get there by taking the 101 to either Carmen (make a left over the freeway and then right on Ventura Blvd.) or Los Posas (left over the freeway and then left on Ventura Blvd.).  If you're on a diet, you might take Los Posas as the Carmen route takes you past a large, alluring In-N-Out Burger.

As you can see on the map below, there are three main sections. The original outlets are on the left side, including the Main Court and across Camarillo Center Drive is the Fashion Court. In 2009 the outlets expanded to the west between the Edwards Movie Theater and Las Posas Road to include The Promenade section.

The Main Court contains suites 100-744, Fashion Court suites 800-1118 and The Promenade suites 1200-1514. The CP Outlets website has a listing by store type as well as a map.

The outlets are massive. You can park anywhere and walk the entire way, though I prefer to park in the Main Court and cover the Main Court and walk across Camarillo Center Drive to get to the Fashion Court.

You can also walk to The Promenade section, where you’ll find eateries such as Johnny Rockets, Panera Bread, Cracker Barrel, Ubatuba Acai and Pink’s Hot Dogs.

A small kids’ playground area was added in 2019 to The Promenade section near Wetzel’s Pretzels/Lids/Sunglass Hut.

Not a great pic but gives you a feel for the kids’ playground area at The Promenade (new in 2019)

Join the VIP Club to receive special discount offers and coupons at www.premiumoutlets.com/vip/

The two videos below provide a quick drive-through around the Main/Fashion Courts and the newer The Promenade.

Eateries that have come and gone from the Camarillo Premium Outlets:

• Los Arroyos Mexican Restaurant - Late 2019

• Smashburger - Early 2020

• PizzaRev - Mid-2020

• Yogurtland - 2020

Red Door Escape Room at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard

Red Door Escape Room at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard is a cool way to unplug and connect! Bring the whole gang for a day of adventure. Outsmart a mad scientist, escape from prison or find your way through a fairytale - the possibilities are endless!

After your 60 minute experience, debrief over some food at the Annex! With six escape episodes to choose from, pick your escape or escape from them all!

Learn more at www.reddoorescape.com or call 805-485-2520.

Opens October 15, 2021 at 531 Collection Boulevard, Space 4065 in Oxnard at The Collection at RiverPark. Book rooms starting October 1st.

Stagecoach Inn Museum - Newbury Park

The Stagecoach Inn Museum is a replica of a Monterey style inn, the 1876 Grand Union Hotel. The complex also includes a Chumash Indian village, an early California adobe, a pioneer house and a few other buildings. There is a nice park adjoining the property along with nature trails and a stream that make this a nice place to bring the entire family.

Spanish Adobe structure at Stagecoach Inn is a replica of housing that would be seen in the Conejo Valley in the early 1800s.

The Stagecoach Inn Museum is State Historical Landmark No. 659.  The original structure was destroyed by fire in April 1970 but has been rebuilt and relocated.  It was originally located at the corner of what is now Ventu Park Road and the Highway 101, where a historical marker has been placed.

The Stagecoach Inn is located at 51 South Ventu Park Road, Newbury Park.  Call 805.498.9441 or visit www.stagecoachinnmuseum.com for more information. As of September 2021, the museum is open from 1 pm to 4 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Admission is $7 per adult and $5 per child. Special event pricing and hours may vary.

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum

The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum is located at the Santa Barbara Waterfront Center and is a beautiful, high tech facility. The mission of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum is to preserve and celebrate the maritime heritage of the California Coast and present it to the public in an interesting and exciting way.

Exhibits include boat models, surfing artifacts, historic Goleta cannons, interactive environmental displays, rescue and emergency equipment, fishing and diving technology, shipwreck displays, a children's gallery and more. 

My young boys particularly enjoyed 3 things at the museum - the interactive fishing game (combines a video game with an actual fishing pole as you attempt to catch a variety of virtual fish), the kids computer area and the U.S. Navy periscope exhibit. The periscope is interesting for all ages because it is an actual, working example from a submarine that they've set up so that you can check out 360 degree scenes around Santa Barbara.

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The museum is bright, packed with numerous items and has a large video viewing room upstairs. Go check it out!

The museum is located at 113 Harbor Way Suite 190, Santa Barbara. Open 10:30 am to 4:30 pm daily.

Admission (as of September 2021) is $8 for adults (18 to 64), $5 for seniors 65+, kids 6 to 17 and students (with ID). Under age 6 is free of charge. Active military is free. 

More information at www.sbmm.org or call 805.962.8404.

California Museum of Art Thousand Oaks (CLOSED 6/19/22)

CMATO closed its doors on June 19. 2022.

The California Museum of Art Thousand Oaks (CMATO) will provide a world-class cultural experience for visitors and locals alike. Artists, educators, lovers of art, tourists, students and the general public will appreciate the world-class exhibitions of paintings, sculpture, photography, music, drama and dance. CMATO will be located at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, west of City Hall and the Performing Arts Center.

Until the new museum is completed, CMATO will operate on the 2nd floor of The Oaks - a Macerich property - in a 5,500 square foot location across from JCPenney. The facility showcases the work of established and emerging contemporary artists. It is also host to artist lectures and educational programs geared towards all ages.

Museum hours are Fri-Sun 12-6PM, excluding U.S. public holidays. Admission is a suggested donation of $6.

Learn more at cmato.org.

The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show in Thousand Oaks

The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show is an interactive comedy murder mystery dinner theatre show that is hosted on designated weekend nights year-round at the Gardens at Los Robles Greens in Thousand Oaks. Solve a hilarious mystery while feasting on a fantastic dinner, but beware…the culprit is hiding in plain sigh somewhere in the room!

Learn more and buy tickets to an upcoming show at www.thedinnerdetective.com/thousand-oaks.

Murals of Santa Paula

The Murals of Santa Paula is a non-profit organization that has brought 9 murals depicting scenes from the city's history within a few mile radius. The murals are as follows:

1. Trains, Planes & Automobiles (1890s-1940s): 815 Santa Barbara Street

2. Our First Inhabitants: The Chumash Indians: 119 North 8th Street

3. Santa Paula Family Farms (1880s-1930s): 715 East Main Street

4. Santa Paula Citrus Capital of the World: Corner of Main and Davis Streets

5. Main Street Santa Paula (1910): Corner of Main and Mill Streets

6. Celebrating Santa Paula's Latino Culture: Corner of Main and 10th Streets

7. Discovering Black Gold in Santa Paula (1860s-1950s): 123 N. 10th Street

8. Santa Paula Artists and Architects: 136 North 10th Street

9. Honoring Founders and Pilots of Santa Paula Airport (1890s-1940s): 560 E. Main Street

Visit www.santapaulamurals.org if it becomes functional again (not working as of summer 2021).

Zuma Beach in Malibu

Zuma Beach is located at 30000 Pacific Coast Highway At 4 miles long, Zuma is one of the largest and most popular beaches in Los Angeles County,

Zuma is known for its long, wide sands and excellent surf. Plenty of facilities, including several food stands, restrooms, showers, volleyball, etc. Plenty of street parking on PCH and over 2,000 parking spaces (currently $8 weekdays and $10 weekends).

Visit beaches.lacounty.gov/zuma-beach for more information. Zuma is known for riptides, so do be careful out there.

Underwood Family Farms - Moorpark

For a great time and for fresh produce, visit Underwood Family Farms in Moorpark.  My family loves the annual Fall Harvest Festival in October.  There are rides and activities for the kids, music and entertainment, tractor rides, special events, tasty food, farm animals galore and lots and lots of pumpkins, squash, gourds and other Fall goodies.

This is also a great place for kids' birthday parties.  There are animal shows, tractor rides, pony rides, mini train ride, play area, hay stack, animal feeding and other really fun activities for the kids.  We love feeding carrots to the goats, donkeys, alpacas, emus and horses.  Feeding the chickens, birds, rabbits and other animals is also great fun.

There are other great events at Underwood.  From the day after Thanksgiving to a week before Christmas the farm is festively decorated and there are cool tractor rides with Santa and other goings on.  There's also usually a large Easter event geared towards the kids each year.  The Moorpark location is generally closed from late December through February during the winter season.

Underwood Family Farm is located at 3370 Sunset Valley Road, Moorpark (805.529.3690). 

Hours are: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm (daylight savings time), 9:00 am - 6:00 pm, weather and farm conditions permitting. Admission is $6.00 per person Monday-Friday and $9.00 per person weekends and major holidays. Children under 2 are free. Visit www.underwoodfamilyfarms.com for more information. 

Underwood also has a location at 5696 Los Angeles Avenue, Somis (805.386.4660), which includes a farm market, animal center and pick your own berries.  The farm center in Somis is open every day, year round. Animals on hand at the Somis location include sheep, alpacas, chickens and pygmy goats. Stop by and picnic with them! There is no admission charge at this much smaller location.

Alpacas at the Somis Animal Center